This is in response to the Sun Journal editorial concerning LD 1810, The Informed Growth Act. (May 2)

Having good information is important when it comes to decisions about large-scale, “big-box” retail developments. The bill applies only to retail stores over 75,000 square feet – roughly a football field and a half. These developments have far-ranging impacts on our economy, communities and environment, and often come with a host of hidden costs.

Communities deserve the best information about the impacts of these projects. How many existing businesses will downsize or close when a big-box store opens? Will it lead to chronic vacancies downtown and in older shopping centers? How many jobs will be eliminated? What will it cost to provide infrastructure and public services to the development?

To make good decisions, we need answers to such questions.

Maine’s municipalities have no mechanisms in place to consider the kinds of impacts that large-scale retail stores have on our local economies and municipal budgets. LD 1810 remedies this problem by providing all Maine communities with a process to evaluate the costs and benefits of big-box retail stores. As a statewide standard, it would prevent developers from pitting towns against one another and building over town lines simply because one town has more comprehensive standards.

Under LD 1810, municipalities would commission an independent economic and community impact assessment, paid for by the developer, to study the proposed project’s impacts on existing businesses, jobs, the vitality of downtowns, and municipal revenues, services and infrastructure.

Municipalities would then use this information, as well as any other information they have, to decide whether the project would result in an overall benefit or harm to the community.

If the municipality finds that the project does not make economic and fiscal sense they would have grounds to deny a permit or to limit tax incentives, such as the creation of a Tax Increment Financing District.

But perhaps more compelling, LD 1810 empowers communities with the information necessary to negotiate with developers for modifications or cost-sharing agreements that would mitigate the public costs and maximize the benefits.

Contrary to the assertion made in the May 2 editorial, the bill does not take away a town’s final say over a development project. All decision-making remains in the local community. By providing much-needed information and review criteria, the bill empowers municipalities and residents to make more informed and beneficial decisions.

That’s why LD 1810 is supported by more than 150 businesses in Maine, as well as a broad coalition of civic, labor and environmental groups.

It deserves the public’s support.

Jim Lysen, Lewiston